Wall construction



. 1,634,808 July 5, 1927. H. F WEISS,

WALL CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Oct. 2. 1925 BY fl It Dh 7 ATTORNEYSPatented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

HOWARD F. WEISS, 0F MADISON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB, BY HESNE ASSIGNMENTS,T0

C. F. BURGESS LABOBATOBIES,INC., 0F DOVER, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 0FWALL CONSTRUCTION.

1926. Serial N0. 105,162.

Original application led October 2,1925, Serial No. 60,029. Divided andthis application illed April 88,

This invention relates to a method for constructing and applying fibre,plaster, pulp and other types of boards having a paper or other fibroussurface, and especially types suited for walls, ceilings, and buildingconstruction. l

The invention embraces a new method for concealing. joints, nails orother fasteners used in applying such boards, so that the wall or othersurface made therefrom shall have a continuous surface of the materialwhich forms the surface of the board. The invention also includes theproduct.

The principal objects of my invention arel to provide a simple andefficient means of concealing joints, nails or other fasteners, 1n Wallboards of the paper lined type, to eliminate the necessity of using anyputty or filler which would form a non-homogeneous surface, and toenable a wall or ceiling to be built of wall boards without thevnecessity of having any panelling or projecting strips or othercovering, thus making the finished wall or ceiling look as smooth'as aWall built of lath and plaster.

This invention is applicable to fiber boards, as well as boards made ofother materials, and especially relates to suchl boards when applied tobuilding construction to re'- place lath and plaster.

Heretofore, when wall boards or other composition boards have been usedin the construction of walls and ceilings, it has been found necessaryto conceal the heads of nails, and of joints between the boards, bymeans of strips or panelling. While putty has been used to fillsuchcracks and cover such fasteners, this method has beenunsatisfactory, for

the two different types of surfacing, that is,y the paper or otherfibrous surfacing of theA board, and the putty, are readilydistinguishable when painted or calci'mined, or even when finished witha wall paper. Many substitute methods have been devised but none so farhas proven entirely satisfactory. My new method eliminates thedifficulties experienced with the methods used in the past and furnishesa continuous paper or fiber surface which effectively conceals nailheads and other fasteners, and also the joints.

All of the figures are somewhat diagrammatic in character, and showcross sections through wall boards. Fig.v l shows a cleavage plane inthe outer or finishing layer or liner` of a wall board. Fig. 2 shows howthe liner may be cut to the cleavage plane and then folded back topermit the driving of nails. In Figs. 3 and 5, the liner is cut andfolded in a somewhat diiferent manner. In Fig. 4 a strip is cut from theliner and the cut-out so formed is covered with a substitute strip. Fig.6 illustrates the joint between adjacent wall boards after the nailshave been driven to secure the boards to studding, but before thecut-out has been filled with the finishing material. Figs. 7, 8, 9 andl0 show different ways of filling the cut-out to cover the joint.

The invention is carried out by leaving cleavage planes in the board,preferably between' certain layers of the paper or other material usedfor liners, and parallel to the face of the liner. I define cleavageplane? for the purpose ofthis invention as a plane of separation betweenlayers of paper or other fibrous materials so that the layers may bereadily separated at predetermined areas. Methods for forming suchplanes will be described hereinafter. The zones of cleavage are locatedin the board at the Iplaces where the board is to be nailed or otherwisefastened to the structure, that is, these cleavage zones register withthe studding or other framing to which the board is to be fastened.

Fig. l shows a portion of a cross-section of a board containing acleavage planev made according to my invention. The central portion lmay be of pulp fibre, or plaster, or any other filling common in wallboard construction. paper or other fibrous material suitable forsurfacing boards, and may vary greatly in thickness. Both liners, oreither one, may have a cleavage plane, 4, for the purpose of thisinvention.

A cleavage plane may be made by gluing two sheets of covering materialtogether in such a way that the glue is omitted at the cleavage zone. Inanother method I propose to insert athin ribbon of paper between thelayers of pulp as they are being laid down by a paper machine. Forexample, if the. covering layer or yliner is a fiber board made of fourla ers of pulp pressed together, the thin rib on of paper The liners 2and 3 may be of ma he inserted between the first and second or thesecond and third layers, or between the third and fourth layers of thepulp. This thin ribbon will form a cleavage zone which causes the layersof pulp to be easily separated at the plane. Other methods may he usedto form the cleavage zone.

The width of the cleavage zones can be made as desired, but in generalthey will not need to be over 2, but may vary from 1/2 to 6". Thelocation of the cleavage zones can also be varied, but in general, theyshould be along the edges of the boards and spaced about 16 or 24 apart,or the standard spacing of studding. The cleavage zones can be indicatedby markings on the surface of the liners as desired, such markings to beof such a character that they will not destro the continuity of thesurface.

When tie cleavage zone is distant from the edge of the board, as `inFigs. 2,3, 4 and 5, 'the surface of this plane is `shtvwith a knife, orother convenient instrument, and is turned back. Such a knife should beprovided with guard wings so adjusted that it will out into the paperliner, or other fiber surface, only a certain fixed depth, that is, 'tothe cleavage plane.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of a board in 'which the finishing layer orliner has been slit to the cleavage plane' and the resulting flap hasbeen turned back, exposing the cleavage zone. This exposed cleavageplane should register with the studding or other framing to which theboard is to be fastened. The board is then fastened by means of nails,or other fasteners, at the exposed cleavage zone, as shown in Fig. 2.The nail, or other fastener, is driven into the board far enough so thatthe top of it is flush with or lower than the exposed surface of thecleavage plane el. Either the underside of the flap 5 which has beenturned back, or the exposed cleavage plane 4, is coated with glue orsome other suitable adhesive and the flap 5 is then replaced to itsoriginal position. The nails, or other fasteners, are therebyeffectively concealed, and a continuous surface of the finishing layeron the vwall board forms the surface of the wall or ceiling, or otherstructure.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the method shown in Fig. 2. Forapplying the board, the linishing layer is Islit in the same manner, butthe layer is peeled away from the cleavage planes on both sides of theslit instead of one side as in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4, a double slit is made in the iinishing layer or liner and thestrip of finishing layer so detached is entirely removed, exposing thecleavage zone. After the board has been fastened, the strip so removedrnay be replaced, but, 'to secure a continuous surface, care must betaken to make the strip which has been removed register exactly with itsformer position. If it is not desired to reuse the strip so removed,another concealing strip can be substituted. A strip of paper 6, orother brous material of about the same character and thickness as thestrip removed, buty appreciably wider, is pasted or otherwise fastened,by a suitable ad lesive, to the cleavage plane, after the board has beenfastened to the studding or other framing. As shown in Fig. 4, thisstrip 6 overlaps the slits on either side of the removed strip but isnot pasted to the finishing layer or liner where the overlap occurs. Aknife is then used to slit both this strip and the finishing layer orliner to the cleavage plane at the points .A and B in Fig. 4. Thetrimmings thus formed from the concealing strip and the liner areremoved and the concealing strip is then fastened by glue or othersuitable adhesive to the cleavage plane. In this manner a continuoussurface is` produced due to the perfeet lit of the concealing strip inthe depression of the liner. f

Fig. 5 `shows the board after it has been fastened to the studding orframing, with the nails concealed by the method illustrated in Fig. 3,with the joint of the two abutting papers directly above the head of thenail.

`When it is desired to conceal a joint such as is caused by two boardsbutting against one another, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, theprocedure is essentially the same. The cleavage zone extends back fromthe edge of the board a given distance, as shown. The finishing layermay either extend beyond the edge of the board or may be cut back fromthe edge of the board.

Fig. 6 shows a cross-sccti0n of two boards batting against each otherwith the finishing layer 4or surface of the liner cut back a certaindistance from the joint and with the nails in place, the top of theheads being flush or slightly below the cleavage plane. The boards maybutt tightly against one another or may be left with a space betweenthem as illustrated in Fig. 6. If a s ace is left between the boards, Iprefer to fill this with a suitable putty or other filler so `that itwill be flush with the cleavage planes.

Fig. 7 shows one method 'of carrying out invention to conceal thejoints. If the finishing layer or liner has been out away so that theedge is a straight line, or approximately straight, a strip of paper, orother fibrous material, of the same thickness as the finishing layer,wide enough to cover the exposed cleavage zones of both boards is buttedagainst the edge of one of the finishing layers, and is glued, orotherwise fastened by a suitable adhesive, to the exposed cleavageplane. The paper,or other4 fiber strip 6 overlaps but is not glued orfastened to the finishing layer which it overlaps. A

les

' B, through both the covering strip and the finishing layenunderneath,and to the cleavage plane, and the trimmed strips of finishing layerandi covering strip vare discarded.

The covering strip is then glued, or otherwise fastened, to the cleavagezone and forced down flush with the finishing layer. The method of Fig.7 may be varied as shown in Fig. `8, in which the coverin strip 6overlaps the finishing layer on both ards and is trimmed and finished inthe manner described for Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 shows the finished construction with the nails, or otherfasteners, in place, and the joint concealed vwith a covering stripcorresponding in thickness andl surface texture Wit-h the paper or otherfiber used in the fini ishing layer of the board, thereby 'exposing acontinuous homogeneous surface of simllar material. The hairline jointsat the points where the finishing layer and covering strip butt togethermay be disregarded. They are practically invisible.

If the board has been constructed so that the finishing layer extendsbeyond the edge of the board, as shown in Fig. 10, the method used willbe similar to that for Fig. 7, except that the finishing layer iscontinuous and the joint which appears at the left in Fig. 7 will notbe'present. The method of making the joint at the right will be the sameas for Fig. 7.

While the illustrations show the use of nailsin fastening the boards,other fasteners may be used. The cleavage plane may be placed in oneliner or both liners, and

may beplaced close to the surface or-'at a considerable depth bel/ow thesurface of the liner as appears desirable.

j Wall boards expand and contract in-varylng amounts with changes intemperature and humidity and the joints may therefore be subject toconsiderable'strain. Ordinary paper or other fibrous material, if usedas a covering strip overthe joints in walls or ceilings covered withboards which have a large expansion and contraction may not ex and andcontract suiiiciently toprevent brealking of the joint. Under theseconditions I have discovered that if the coveringi strip is crepedslightly it contracts van expands sufficiently to prevent suchcracking.The creping can be made so slight that it cannot .be readilydistinguished from the smooth surface of the board, et this is usuallysuicient to com ensate or the contraction and expansiono the board lThroughout the specification the word wall has been used 1n its genericsense to include not only side walls but also ceilings and other likeareas.I

I claim: j `l.- A wall comprising studding, lined boards nailed theretowith their ed es adjacent one another, the lining on one si e of saidboards adjacent the edge being of`decreased thickness to form a recess,and an inset of lining material arranged in said recess flush withthewall surface and covering the joints and nails.

2. A wall comprising studding, lined boards nailed thereto with theiredges adjacent one another, the linerfof one at least of said boardsbeing cut away to form a recess and an insert secured in said recessarranged iush with the wall surface and covering the joints and nails.

3. A wall compris boards nailed thereto w1th`their edges adjacent oneanother, the lining on one side of said boards adjacent the edge bein ofdecreased thickness to form a recess, an an in set of vcreped liningmaterial arranged in said recess flush with the' wall surface andcovering the joints and nails.

4. A Wal-l comprising studding, lined boards fastened thereto with their.edges adjacent one another, the lining of 'said boards being reducedinthickness along its edge to a cleavage plane forming a recess, and astrip of lining material arranged in Said recess flush with the wallsurface and covering the joint and fastening means.

5. The method of concealing wall board fasteners and joints whichcomprises removing a strip of finishing layer from a cleavage plane in aboard liner, fastening the board in place at the exposed cleavage plane,and attaching covering material over the fasteners and joint to exactlyfit theV cut-out.

6. The method of concealing wall board fasteners and joints whichcomprises removing a strip of finishing layer from a 'cleavage plane ina board liner, the cut-out so made registering with the studding orother framing to which the board is to be fastened, fastening the boardin place at the exposed cleavage plane, and attaching a' strip ofcovering material over the fasteners and joint to exactly fit thecut-out, said covering material having about the same composition andsurface as the finishing layer that was removed.

7. The method of concealing wall board fasteners and joints whichcomprises removing a strip of finishing layer from a cleavage plane inthe board liner, the cut-out so lmade registering with the studding orother framing to which the board isi to be fastened, fastening the boardin place at the exposed cleavage plane, attaching a strip of coveringmaterial of suiiicient'width over the fasteners and joint to overlap atleast one'edge of the adjacent cut-out, said over lap not adhering tothe finishing layer, cutting through the overla and finishing layer tothe cleavage plane, 'scarding the strips of trimmed finishing' layer andcoverin studding, lined ulb strip, and attaching the -halance of thetrimmed overlapping covering strip to the exposed cleavage plane.

8. The method of/concealing Wall board fasteners and joints whichcomprises re moving a strip of finishing layer from a cleavage plane inthe board liner, the cutout so made registering with the studding orother framing to which the hoard is to he fastened, fastening the boardin place at the exposed cleavage plane, attaching astrip of coveringmaterial of sufficient Width over the fasteners and joints to overlapboth trimmed edges of the cut-out, said 0verlap ping covering strip notadhering to the finishing layer, cutting through the overlap andfinishing layer to the cleavage plane at both edges, discarding thestrips of trimmed finishing layer and covering strip7 and attaching thebalance of the trimmed covering strip to the exposed cleavage plane.

l 9. The method of concealing Wall board fasteners and joints whichcomprises removing a strip of finishing layer from a cleavage plane inthe board liner; the Vcut-out so made registering with the studding or4other framing :to which the board is to be fastened, fastening theboard in place at the exposed cleavage plane, attaching a strip of(covering material of sufficient Width over the fasteners and joint tooverlap both trimmed edges `of the cut-out, said overlapping coveringstrip not adhering to the finishing layer, cutting through both edfresof the overlapping covering strip and through the M Lesa-ane finishinglayer to the cleave e plane, discarding the strips of trimmed nishinglayer and covering strip, attaching the balance of the trimmed coveringstrip to the exposed cleavage plane, said strip of covering materialbeing of about the same thickness and about the same composition andsurface appearance as the finishing layer on the surface o f the board.

10. The method of concealing Wallboard fasteners which comprisesexposing a cleavage plane in the liner of the board, fastening the hoardin place at the exposed cleavage piane and covering the exposed portionto' produce a substantially smooth surface.

ll. The method of concealing Wall board .fasteners Which comprisescutting out a strip of finishing layer from a cleavage plane in theliner removing said strip, fastening the board in place at the exposedcleavage plane, re-insertin the cutout strip of finishing layer so tiatit registers vWith its former location, and there attaching itj to theexposed cleavage plane.

l2. Tliemethod'of concealingjfivallboardn fasteners and joints which comrisesremoving a strip of finishing laye'r romja cleavl age plane in theboard liner, Vfaste'nin "the board in lace at the exposed cleavagep ane,

and attac ling a strip ofcovering-'materialover the fasteners and jointto exactly fit the cut-out from which the strip was removed. d

- In testimony whereof I affix my si nature.

v HOWARD. F. ISS.'

